Q&A Of The Day – Should Florida Have Cameras In Classrooms? Part 1
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
Parler & Twitter: @brianmuddradio
Today’s entry: Brian, was listening to your show this morning regarding the recent indoctrination of our children in public schools by Marxists who pretend to be teachers.
Regardless of laws that have recently passed to prohibit the teaching of Critical Race Theory, 1619, or whatever they choose to label other similar teachings.... we can not expect these same “teachers” to ignore their temptations to continue their indoctrination of our kids. It’s time now for cameras to be required in all classrooms (and in all school areas where students are assembled). We must do this to protect our greatest resource. And strict punishment shall be dealt to those “teachers” crossing the line.
Bottom Line: On Friday, I pointed out the Florida Board of Education’s decision to ban critical race theory in our schools wasn’t the end of the story. Instead, the ball’s now in our court. The Florida Education Association, which represents 78% of the state’s public school teachers, wouldn’t have been fighting the rule change if there wasn’t a desire by many to teach it. You raise an interesting topic. Should what happens in the classroom be monitored? Should parents have access to those cameras?
Prior to the pandemic this idea would probably have sounded more intrusive and no doubt to many probably still does. However, with all of Florida’s public schools having engaged remote learning during the pandemic, in effect cameras were in the classroom. In the wake of the attack at Stoneman Douglas schools across the state installed robust surveillance camera systems for security purposes, however cameras haven’t been installed inside of classrooms for the purpose of monitoring what’s being taught. There is one instance where that’s about to change.
State Senator Lauren Book introduced a pilot program to place cameras inside of special education classrooms which passed in this year’s state session. The new program, which will be a test project only conducted in Broward, is aimed at monitoring the treatment of special needs students as opposed to what’s specifically being taught. Under the program access to the cameras is limited. The contents of what’s monitored through the classroom cameras can be watched only if an investigation regarding conduct is warranted. At that point, those able to access the contents would be limited to school officials, students, parents and law enforcement. Notably, even in that instance, the teacher’s union is opposed. Anna Fusco of the Broward Teachers Union told the Sun Sentinel this: This is no way to have our professionals treated. To assume that there will be harm is unprofessional. So, if the union is opposed to cameras in the classroom in even a very limited scope, you might imagine it’d be another major battle with the union to implement them for parents to be able to monitor what’s being taught. As for the effort itself... I’ll address that in the second part of today’s Q&A.